Get Back Up Again
by banjojd
Summary: A mother/daughter story. Takes place when Rory was twelve. My take on how she broke her arm the first time. Complete.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer- I own nothing except the idea.

Get Back Up Again

            Lorelai stood in the doorway of her house and gazed around the living room.  The Christmas tree in the corner was lit up and casting a red and green glow around the room.  There were two stockings hanging from the mantel on which a number of pictures sat.  Lorelai's gaze finally rested on her 12-year old daughter, Rory, who was contentedly reading on the couch.  She hadn't even heard the door open when Lorelai came in from the chilly air.  Lorelai smiled at her daughter's concentration and obvious love of reading.  

            Today was Rory's last day of school for the upcoming winter break and Lorelai had planned a celebration of sorts for them.  It wasn't really any different then the other movie nights they always had, but Lorelai was in a good mood and felt like celebrating.  She had heard earlier that it might snow later, and she was excited.  To the Gilmore Girls, snow was magical and something they always looked forward to.

            "Hey, Sweets," Lorelai said to get her daughter's attention.  Rory looked up at her mom and smiled.

            "Hey, Mom.  I didn't hear you come in."

            "I noticed," Lorelai said with a smile.  

            "How was work today?" Rory marked her place in her book and gave her mother her full attention.  

            "Today was a good day," Lorelai said, stepping into the room.  "Sookie didn't break anything and Michel didn't make anyone cry.  I guess maybe he has a little holiday spirit after all.  How was school?" she asked, slipping her shoes off and sitting down on the couch next to Rory.  She placed the bag she had been carrying on the coffee table.

            "Oh fine," Rory said.  "Same old, same old."  Rory loved school and she loved learning, but sometimes she didn't feel challenged.  "What's in the bag?"

            "Nothing much," Lorelai answered.  "Just one of the best Christmas movies ever."  She took the movie out of the bag and held up "A Christmas Story" for Rory to see.  Rory's face lit up.  She loved that movie!

            "I also stopped at the pizza place on the way home and ordered us some dinner which should be arriving soon.  All that's left to do now is get out the snacks, make some hot chocolate, and enjoy."

            "I'll get the snacks," Rory said as she made her way to the kitchen.  

            Lorelai was right behind her, "I'll get the hot chocolate!"

            The red and green lights from the Christmas tree were now joined with the glow of the TV as the movie played.  There was  half a pizza in its box on the table along with two empty glasses of hot chocolate on the table.  The bag of leftover Halloween candy was on Lorelai's lap so they could get to it with little effort.  

            "You'll shoot your eye out, kid," Lorelai said along with the movie.  "I wonder how many times they actually say that in the movie.  Don't you think that would make an interesting study, to actually count the number of times the line 'You'll shoot your eye out' is spoken in "A Christmas Story."  Rory just gave her mother a look of slight annoyance.

            "What?" Lorelai asked innocently.  "Inquiring minds want to know."

            "Why don't you just watch it again and count how many times it is said and then you can tell the millions of people in the world who really want to know.  You'll make history."

            "Ooohh, sarcastic.  Is that what you learn everyday in school?"

            "Nope, I learned that here," Rory said.

            "That's my girl," Lorelai said, her smile proud.

            It was Rory's turn to quote now.  "Oh fuuuu" Lorelai gave her a warning glance.  "dddgggeee," Rory said one of the classic lines of the movie and just smiled at her mother.

            When the movie ended, Lorelai went to clean up the kitchen and Rory went back to her book.  She wanted to finish up the chapter she was on when her mom came in.  She was able to grab another piece of candy before Lorelai put the bag away.  She finished that chapter and a couple more while trying to fight the tired feeling that was washing over her.  Despite the best efforts of all the sugar she ate, Rory was losing the battle to stay awake.  She put her head down on a pillow where she was laying on the couch and continued the read.

            Lorelai watched in amusement from the hallway leading from kitchen as Rory tried to suppress another yawn.  When she was little, Rory always fought sleep.  She was so afraid she was going to miss something.  Lorelai knew how smart Rory was and how grown-up she could act, but she also knew that Rory was still just a little girl in so many ways.  And at the moment, she was a tired little girl who needed to be put to bed.

            "Rory," Lorelai said as she walked into the living room.  

            "Yeah, Mom?" Rory's head shot up to look at her mother.  She looked for all the world like someone who had been caught sleeping in school.  

            "You need to be getting to bed now."  Rory sighed as she marked her place in her book.  "Come on now," Lorelai said as she walked over to her daughter.  "We've got to go to your grandmother's annual Christmas party tomorrow and we want to look our best, don't we?" Lorelai said, her tone filled with sarcasm.  The Christmas party was one of the few times during the year that Lorelai and Rory saw Lorelai's parents.  

            "Okay, goodnight," Rory said as her mother kissed her on the cheek.  

            "'Night, Hon."


	2. chapter two

The next night came way to fast for Lorelai.  She was hoping the day would drag on, but everything ran smoothly at the inn, so there was nothing to get her and Rory out of the party tonight.  But she also knew that Rory seemed to look forward to getting to see her grandparents even though she couldn't understand why.  

            "Here we go," Lorelai said as she rang the doorbell to her parent's house.  A maid she didn't know answered the door and let them in.  The rooms were filled with Hartford businessmen and socialite ladies.  The house was filled with the world that Lorelai ran away from twelve years ago.

            Lorelai and Rory stayed close to each other as they weaved through the crowd looking for the food table.  If nothing else, these holiday parties always had great food.

            "Rory!" Emily Gilmore said when she caught sight of her daughter and granddaughter.  "How are you?  How's school?"

            "Hi, Grandma.  I'm fine.  Everything's fine," she said giving her grandmother an awkward hug.

            "I'm fine too, Mom. Thanks for asking," Lorelai said.

            "Lorelai," Emily said.  

            "And how are things with you, Mom?" Lorelai asked.

            Emily smiled and pushed her disagreements with Lorelai aside for the moment.  "Everything's been just fine.  In fact, I have some exciting news."

            "Uh-oh," Lorelai said.  Every time her mother got excited about something, it always involved something she didn't want to do.

            "This is news for Rory, Lorelai," Emily said, giving her daughter a disapproving look.

            "Me, Grandma?" Rory asked, confused.

            "Yes.  Your grandfather and I were down at the club earlier this week and I noticed that they were going to be giving horseback riding lessons.  I thought that maybe you would like to  take some lessons."

            Rory was surprised and the way she looked at her mother showed the surprise.  Lorelai just shook her head.

            "I don't know, Grandma…"  

            "You might like it," Emily told her.  "Even your mother took horseback riding lessons when she was your age and she loved it."

            Rory smiled and looked at her mother, her eyebrows raised in amusement.  "Really?"

            "Yes," Lorelai consented.  "I took the lessons and I loved it."

            "Really?" Rory asked again with a laugh.  

            "Yes.  Geez, what's so funny about that?" Lorelai asked, pretending to be offended. 

            "I just can't quite picture you on a horse."

            "She was really good," Emily interjected, a hint of pride in her voice.  

            Lorelai could tell that Rory was curious about all this.  She had always rejected most offers from her parents for things for Rory.  She was determined to raise her daughter on her own, and she thought she was doing a good job.  But, it was true, she had loved the horses.  And maybe Rory would like it to?  Lorelai didn't want to deny her that chance.

            Rory was lost in thoughts of her own.  She had never been one of those girls who had wanted a horse.  She had never thought much about it.  She really had no desire to ride.  Horses always seemed so big to her and she was skeptical.  But her mother had loved it and her grandmother seemed so eager for her to try it.  

            Lorelai noticed the pensive features on her daughter's face.  She quickly added, "You don't have to if you don't want to, Babe."  Lorelai didn't want Rory to feel pressured into doing something she didn't want to do. 

            Rory knew that she didn't have to, but she was a person who wanted to please everyone.  If she agreed to the lessons her grandmother would be happy and she would get to share in something her mother loved from her childhood.

            "Okay, sure.  I guess I can try," Rory agreed.

            "Wonderful!" Emily said.

            "Are you sure?" Lorelai asked.

            "Yep," Rory answered.  "It sounds like fun," she said, almost telling the truth.

            "Great!  The lessons start after the New Year.  I'll set it up."

            "Thanks, Mom," Lorelai said, her voice sincere.  

            "You're welcome," Emily replied uncertainly, but then smiled when she realized no witty remark from Lorelai was coming. 


	3. chapter three

Rory woke up the morning of her first lesson with butterflies in her stomach even though she told herself there was nothing to worry about.  

            "You're still coming with me, right Mom?" Rory asked her mother for about the hundredth time that week. 

            "Of course, Honey," was Lorelai's standard response.  She watched as her daughter nodded and went back into her room.  Lorelai got up from the kitchen table and followed Rory into her bedroom.

            "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked. 

            "Yeah," Rory answered quickly.  "Why?"

            "You just seem a little nervous, that's all."

            "No, not nervous.  Not  really.  And you'll be there with me, so I'll be fine," Rory said.

            "Okay," Lorelai said.  "But if you change your mind just tell me.  You don't have to ride if you don't want to."

            "I know.  Thanks, Mom."

            Lorelai pulled her Jeep into a parking space at the stables at the club and she and Rory went to meet Emily who was waiting for them.

            "I didn't know Grandma was going to be here," Rory said softly to her mother.

            "I didn't either," Lorelai said back.  "Hi, Mom," she said to Emily when they reached her.

            "Hello, girls," Emily said.  "Are you all ready, Rory?"

            "Yes, I think so," Rory said, still somewhat skeptical.  No backing out now though.  And who knows, she might like it.  

            "Good.  You need to go over to that table and sign in," Emily pointed out the table to Rory.  

            Mother and daughter didn't say anything as they waited for Rory to get back.  The two were still very much at odds with each other and only came together at things like this for Rory.  It only took a few minutes for Rory to get signed up and she made her way back over to her mother and grandmother, this time carrying a helmet in her hands.  

            "I'm all set," she told him.  "They gave me this to wear," she held up the helmet.  

            "Good," Lorelai said, taking the helmet from Rory.  She placed it on the girl's head and fastened the straps securely under her chin.  "You be careful," she said, sending Rory over to her instructor.

            Rory took a deep breath as she approached the lady who was waiting for her.  

            "Hello.  Rory right?"  Rory nodded.  "I'm Anne, you're instructor.  That horse is going to be yours," she said pointing out a brown horse that waited in a stable a few yards away.  "His name is Mister."

            "Mister?" Rory asked.  Did they forget to add another name?

            "Yes, Mister," Anne said with a smile.  "Let's go."

            A handler brought Mister out of his stall as Rory and Anne waited.  Mister was led up to a step that Rory would stand on to mount up.  Rory tentatively stepped up to the top of the platform and listened as Anne showed her where to put her hands and how to mount the horse.  Rory put her foot in the stirrup and swung her other leg over.  Mister moved a bit and she formed a death grip on the reins.  

            "Whoa, Mister," Anne said. 

            "Yeah, whoa Mister," Rory repeated. 

            Once Mister was standing still, Anne adjusted the stirrups to Rory's legs and showed her how to hold her hands and how to sit in the saddle.

            Lorelai and Emily watched from the side with pride.  Neither noticed the fear that passed over Rory's features.  She did not want to be on that horse.  

            Lorelai rested her arms on the top of the fence and leaned on it as she watched Rory's lesson progress.  They had already taken a walk around the corral with Anne leading Mister and now Rory was going around on her own.  

            Mister seemed skittish and jumpy and Anne was doing her best to make him calm.  She assured Rory that nothing was wrong and Rory nodded.  "Is the lesson almost over?" Rory asked uneasily.  

            "We have about another half hour, but we can stop if you want," Anne told her.  Rory looked over to her mother and grandmother who both waved at her, smiling.  

            "No, I'm fine," she lied.  

            "Good.  Why don't you take him around one more time."

            "Okay," Rory said, and urged Mister on.  Rory wasn't doing much in way of directing the horse, she just let Mister do it on his own.  Her grip on the rains was looser than when she first started and she was letting Mister walk where he wanted.  As Mister neared the fence on the opposite side of her mother, a squirrel darted under the fence and startled the already skittish horse.  Mister reared back on his hind legs and Rory screamed.  She couldn't hang on and was thrown from the horse.  She landed hard on her right shoulder and side, her head hitting the ground, hard. 

            Lorelai watched in horror when Mister reared back and she saw Rory falling to the ground.  "Oh my God…"  Lorelai stepped under the middle bar of the fence and ran towards her unmoving daughter.  

            Anne was already kneeling next to Rory when Lorelai got there.  She was on her right side and unconscious.  "Don't move her," Anne instructed.  

            "Rory," Lorelai said softly as tears fell down her on cheeks.  Emily was by her side a few moments later.  She took out her cell phone and called the paramedics.    

            It was only a matter of minutes before they heard the sirens of the ambulance.  Lorelai had been talking to Rory the entire time, encouraging her daughter to wake up.  They had to back away from her when the paramedics arrived.  They stabilized her neck with a neck brace, never removing the helmet.  They eased her on the backboard and strapped her down to keep her back and neck as straight as possible.  

            "Is her neck…?" Lorelai couldn't get it out.  

            "We don't know anything yet," a paramedic assured her.  "Let's just get her to the hospital and let them work on her."  Lorelai nodded and tried to think positive.  Rory was strong.


	4. chapter four

Lorelai rode in the ambulance with Rory to the hospital, but they made her wait in the waiting room once they got there.  Emily arrived not long after the ambulance and Richard soon after her.  Emily had called her husband while she was driving to the hospital.  

            Lorelai borrowed her mother's cell phone and called Christopher, Rory's father.  He was out in California and told Lorelai that he would be on the next flight out to Hartford.  She insisted that it wasn't necessary because she knew he had just secured a good job that he had worked hard to get.  She told him she would call as soon as she had more information and he could decide what to do then.  Her next call was to Luke in Stars Hollow.  They had been friends for years, though everyone in town insisted it was more.  Lorelai loved his coffee and tried to think of him as only a friend.  Luke was like a father to Rory and Lorelai knew if she called him she would only have to make one call.  She gave him instructions to tell Sookie and Miss Patty before he came to the hospital.  The whole town would know before Luke could get everyone out of the Diner.

            Luke arrived at the hospital first, followed not far behind by Sookie.  Lorelai was trying to be strong for everyone, but she was falling apart inside.  When were they going to tell her something?  Luke gave her the coffee he had brought with him and Sookie enveloped her in a supporting hug.  

            Two hours passed and Lorelai couldn't take the waiting anymore.  "What is taking so long?  I have to go back there," she said in a determined tone.  But as she said it, a doctor approached the group carrying Rory's riding helmet.  

            "Ms. Gilmore.  I have some good news.  Your daughter received no injury to her neck or back."  Lorelai sighed an audible sigh of relief and Sookie squeezed her hand.  "She did, however, dislocate her right shoulder and suffered a minor concussion," the doctor continued.  "The brunt of the force of the fall was taken by her shoulder and this," he said handing the helmet to Lorelai.  He pointed out where it had cracked when her head hit the ground.  "Thank God she was wearing that."  Lorelai choked back tears as she thought of how hard Rory's head must have hit the ground to crack the helmet like that.  

            "We've set her arm and given her some pain medicine.  Her arm will be in a cast for eight to ten weeks.  She is sleeping comfortably right now.  She'll probably be sleeping for a while because of the pain medicine.  We're going to keep her overnight for observation and providing she has a good night, she can go home some time tomorrow."

            "Thank you.  Can I go see her now?" Lorelai asked.  

            "Yes, but only you.  We don't want to fill her room with people and noise.  She's going to need a lot of rest."

            The doctor waited while everyone said their goodbyes to Lorelai.  They all promised to be there in the morning and Lorelai assured everyone that she would call them if she needed them.  She then left with the doctor so he could show her to Rory's room.

            Lorelai followed the doctor down the quiet hallway.  He stopped in front of a room and pushed the door open to let Lorelai in.  He left her to be with her daughter.

            Lorelai stood in the doorway and stared at her sleeping daughter, her baby.  She stepped in and closed the door and walked over to Rory's bedside.  She could see the bruises on the right side of Rory's face from where she had hit the ground.  Her arm was in a cast that went from her shoulder to her fingers.  Rory's arm was bent in the cast and resting on her stomach.  They had not put the sling yet because they wanted her to be able to rest more comfortably.

            "Oh, Rory," Lorelai said as she pulled a chair close to the bed.  Lorelai took Rory's left hand and held it as she talked to her. 

            "So horseback riding's not your thing, huh?" she quipped.  Her eyes showed no amusement, only concern and love for her daughter.  "Maybe you should stick to the carousel."

            Rory's eyes fluttered when she heard her mother talking to her.  

            "Mom," she said in a true almost-teenage exasperated tone.  She was groggy, but she tried to force a smile for her mom.

            "Hey, Honey," Lorelai said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she stood up and kissed her daughter on her forehead.  "You should be sleeping."

            "But you were talking," Rory reminded her mom.  

            "Oh, right," Lorelai laughed.  "I'll be quiet now.  Get some rest.  I'll be right here."

            Rory closed her eyes and Lorelai sat back down in the chair.  She stroked her daughter's hand and eventually put her head down on the bed and fell asleep herself.


	5. chapter five

The bright January sun was shining through the sleepy darkness in Rory's hospital room to find Lorelai resting her head on Rory's bed, asleep.  Rory was sleeping off the effects of the pain medicine she had been given the day before.  The sun hit Lorelai's face and woke her up just as the doctor came into the room to check on his patient.  

            Lorelai looked around the room to find flowers, get well balloons, and an arrangement of stuffed animals.

            "People have been bringing stuff by all morning," the doctor explained to her.  "There's quite a group waiting out there to see this little girl."

            Lorelai smiled, her heart warmed by the kindness of the town she and Rory loved.  "What time is it?" Lorelai asked.  

            "9:30," the doctor answered.  "I was stopping by to see if Rory was up.  We need to get her up and moving.  Here are some pajamas for her.  Your friend Sookie brought them by."

            "Thanks.  I'll get her up."

            "Okay.  Take a walk around to see how she's feeling and I'll check out her arm and if everything's fine you two can go home in a couple of hours."

            "Great," Lorelai said as the doctor left the room.  "Hey, Honey," Lorelai said as she brushed some hair back from Rory's face.  "You have to get up now, doctor's orders."

            Rory opened her eyes and saw her mother.  She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light.

            "How long was I asleep?"

            "You were out all night.  Slept like a baby.  Which is an untrue statement if you think about it.  You never slept like a baby as a baby.  You were up every few hours wanting to be fed or changed or one of those other annoying things babies cry for.  And just when I thought you were going back to sleep, you would wake and start crying all over again.  I swear I didn't sleep through the night until you were five."

            "Well sorry I kept you up," Rory said with a mischievous smile.

            "Yeah well, I'm over it.  Look, Sookie brought you some pj's.  And look at all the stuff you've gotten," Lorelai gestured to all the presents around the room.

            Rory's face showed amazement at all the stuff as she looked around the room.

            "Who brought all this?"

            "Apparently the whole town is out there waiting to see you.  Now let's get you up and changed.  The doctor wants you to take a few laps around the hospital before you can go home.

            Lorelai helped Rory get up and get changed.  Rory knew she was going to need a lot of help for a while.  She was going to be left handed for a few months.  Lorelai brushed her daughter's hair as Rory really examined her cast for the first time.  "This is some cast," she commented.  "When can I take it off?"

            "The doctor said in eight or ten weeks.  And they're going to bring you a sling to wear.  

            Rory sighed.  "How am I supposed to write for school?  I won't even be able to tie my shoes."

            "That's what I'm here for," Lorelai said.  "Don't worry, Honey.  We'll work it out."

            As the two were talking a nurse came in carrying another delivery of flowers.  She was also carrying the sling that Rory would have to wear.  She set the flowers down on one of the remaining open spots on the bedside table.

            "Okay, Rory," the nurse said.  "This is your sling.  You need to wear this all the time except when you're sleeping and showering and such."  She slipped the sling over Rory's head and fit it under arm and then adjusted it so it was tight enough so that it fit snuggly under her arm.  "There.  How's that?"

            "Fine," Rory answered with a sigh.  She didn't want to have to be in the sling.  Stupid horse.  

            Once the nurse left, Rory took the card from the most recent delivery of flowers.  

            "It's from Dad," she said with a smile.  "'Dear Rory, I hope you feel better soon.  I'll be there if you need me.  Love, Dad.'" She read the card to her mother.  

            "Aww, that's nice," Lorelai said, her voice sincere.  "He told me yesterday on the phone that he would come out.  I told him to wait and see how you are."

            "He doesn't need to come all the way here just for this," Rory said.  She would love to see her father, but he was just starting to get somewhere in his job and Rory understood how important that was.  

            "We can call him later and you can tell him that you're okay."  Rory nodded in agreement.

            Following the doctor's orders, Lorelai and Rory walked around the hospital.  Lorelai kept a supporting hand on Rory's back the entire time in case she needed someone to lean on.  By the end Rory felt a little woozy and tired and was ready to go back to sleep.  The girls returned to the hospital room and the doctor came by soon after saying he was releasing Rory.  

            "Here is a prescription for some pain medicine," the doctor handed the paper to Lorelai.  "Only give it to her if she really needs it because it will make her very drowsy."

            Lorelai took the prescription.  "Will do, Doc."

            "And," the doctor continued, "Rory should stay home from school for the next three days.  That will give her the rest of this week and the weekend to rest.  Just lay around, sleep, watch TV.  It'll be good for your arm and give your head a chance to heal all the way."

            "But," Rory immediately started to protest.  She couldn't miss that much school!

            "Relax," Lorelai cut her off.  "I'll talk to the school and Lane will pick up your work.  It'll be fine."

            Rory sighed, resigned to having to miss school.  She had never missed three days of school in her life!

            The nurse brought in a wheelchair for Rory to take her out to the car.

            "You just need to sign some papers, Ms. Gilmore, and you guys can get out of here," the doctor said.

            "I can walk," Rory eyed the wheelchair.  

            "Honey, just sit down.  I'll take you out to talk to everyone and then I'll come back here and sign the papers and clear the room out and then we can get you home."

            "Okay," Rory said and sat down.  Lorelai wheeled her out to the waiting room.  Many of the townsfolk, and her grandparents, were there, ready to give Rory all the sympathy they could.  Lorelai left her and went back to sign Rory out.  After a few trips, Lorelai, with the help of Luke, loaded her Jeep and Luke's truck full of flowers, balloons, and stuffed animals.  It wouldn't all fit in the Jeep, not if they wanted to get Rory in there too.

            Lorelai went back in for Rory and the town started filing out promising to visit her later.  Emily and Richard were still talking to Rory when Lorelai came up.  

            "Lorelai," Emily said.  "You need to talk to her about when she's going to go riding again."

            "What?!" Rory exclaimed  "Riding again?  I'm never getting on a horse again!"

            "Mom," Lorelai said, exasperated.  "Now is not the time.  Can we talk about this later?"  Lorelai understood what her mother was trying to say.  She knew that it was important for Rory to ride a horse again, even just one more time, so she wouldn't be afraid of them for the rest of her life.  But Emily had terrible timing and Rory didn't want to hear anything about it.

            "Later?" Rory asked.  "We won't need to talk about it later because I can tell you right now that I'm not riding a horse again."

            "Rory," Emily started, but Lorelai cut her off.  

            "Not now, Mother!"

            "Fine, but you better talk about it soon."

            Lorelai let out a frustrated sigh and changed the subject.  

            "Come on, Sweets, let's get you home."  She and Rory said goodbye to Emily and Richard and walked out to the Jeep.


	6. chapter six

            The rest of the week passed in a flurry of visits from just about everyone in town.  Luke brought them coffee and Sookie made them some of their favorite meals.  Lane brought Rory her homework everyday and usually stayed so they could work on the schoolwork together.  Rory had called her father the day she went home from the hospital and she assured him that she was fine.  They had talked for a long time and Rory had been extremely happy the rest of the day.  She had talked with Christopher on the phone before, but their conversations never seemed to last longer than an hour.  

            "Mom," Rory said Saturday morning as she came out of her room to find her mom sitting at the kitchen table, "Can we go to Luke's today?  I'm tired of being stuck in the house."

            "Sure, Honey," Lorelai said.  She was tired of being stuck in the house too.  She had taken three days off from the inn to stay home with Rory.  Lorelai looked up to see her daughter still dressed in her pajamas and rubbing her eyes.  "But I'm not taking you looking like that.  Go get dressed and then we'll go get some breakfast."

            Rory returned to the kitchen a few minutes later dressed in jeans and long sleeve shirt.  She was carrying her shoes and sat down at the table and slipped them on.  Lorelai picked up Rory's feet one at a time and tied the shoes.  

            "Let's go," Lorelai said, putting her coat on and then helped Rory with hers.

            The Diner grew silent when Rory and Lorelai came through the door.  There were smiles all around when they sat down because it was good to see Rory up and out.  Luke brought them coffee without even making a fuss and took their order of eggs and pancakes.  They figured if they each got one then they could share.  

            The two ate their breakfast and exchanged typical banter that made Luke feel like the Diner was now back to normal.  It had been odd for there not to be a Gilmore in there for three days.  It had been way too quiet.  When they were finished, Lorelai and Rory made their way back home.  Rory started to lag behind once they reached their front lawn in order to let Lorelai get ahead of her.  Rory stooped and picked up some snow and formed it into a snowball with her mittened left hand.  

            "Rory?" Lorelai asked, turning around to see where her daughter had gone.

            When Lorelai was facing her, Rory threw the snow as best she could. It was good enough because it hit Lorelai square in the stomach.  

            The mischievous smile that had played on Rory's lips turned into full grin when she saw the shocked look on Lorelai's face.  

            "You're gonna pay for that," Lorelai said as she squatted down to scoop up some snow and threw it at Rory.  Rory let out a small scream and tried to dodge the snow, but she ended being hit by the brunt of it.  

            "Yes!" Lorelai cheered at her hit.  Rory scooped up some more and made her way towards Lorelai and dumped the snow on her mother's head as she passed.  Rory laughed again as Lorelai let out a shocked gasp.  She got over it and stood up and ran after Rory.  Lorelai caught her easily and carefully tackled Rory to the ground.  Lorelai had actually picked Rory up and placed her on the ground, careful not to disturb her arm or the cast.  Rory squealed and tried to get our of her mother's grasp.

            "Oh no, I've got you now!" Lorelai said, not relinquishing her hold on her daughter.  "You think you can hit me with snowballs and get away with it?   For that, my child, you must be punished.  What do you think your punishment should be?"

            Rory pretended to get serious as she thought about the punishment.  "I think I should have to stay with you all day," she said in an exasperated tone, "and watch movies and drink coffee and hot chocolate and eat lots of candy," she punctuated her last statement by hitting Lorelai with another snowball.  

            Lorelai laughed as she helped Rory to her feet.  She turned her daughter around and brushed the snow off of Rory's back.  "Let's get inside.  I wouldn't want to keep you from your punishment," she said as they ascended the steps and went into the warmth of their house.  

            A few hours later, Lorelai and Rory were sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket and watching the tail-end of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."  Rory hadn't been paying that much attention for the last half of the movie.  She couldn't get what her grandmother had said out of her head.  Why would Emily think she would want to ride again?

            "Hey, Mom?" Rory asked as the credits rolled on the television.  

            "Yeah, Hon?" Lorelai said, surprised to see the solemn expression on her daughter's features.  

            "What did Grandma mean when she said I should ride again?  Why would she want me to do something that had hurt me?"

            Lorelai sighed and looked at Rory with a loving expression.  She knew they were going to have to talk about this eventually.  She had almost hoped that Rory had forgotten about it, but it was obviously something her daughter had been thinking about since they left the hospital.

            "Honey, she doesn't want you to get hurt or do something that will hurt you," Lorelai explained.  "She just doesn't want you to be scared.  Do you remember when you were learning to ride your bike and you would fall off and I would make you get up and try again?"  Rory nodded.  "It's kind of the same thing," Lorelai continued.  

            "But I never got hurt falling off my bike," Rory interrupted.  "The worst I ever got was a skinned knee.  The horse could have killed me.  I'd be too scared to even go near a horse again."

            Lorelai saw the pained expression on Rory's face and it melted her heart.  "That's just it, Honey.  She doesn't want you to be scared, and neither do I."

            "You think I should ride a horse again?" Rory asked, disbelieving.

            Lorelai nodded.  "Yes, I do.  If only just once more in your life, you need to get back up again and ride.  If you don't you'll be scared of horses the rest of your life and I don't want that."

            Rory thought it over and she understood what her mother was trying to say.  But she couldn't do it. 

            "But what if I fall again?" she asked, her voice quivering with unshed tears.  She had never really said how she felt about the accident and it seemed that all her emotions were about to spill out now.  "What if the horse stepped on me?  I was really scared up on the horse.  He was so big.  I didn't even want to ride him in the first place."

            "What do you mean you didn't want to ride him?" Lorelai asked her face sympathetic.  She brushed some hair back from Rory's face as her daughter started to cry.  "What is it, Honey?"

            "I didn't want to, but Grandma seemed so excited about it.  I wanted to make her happy.  And you said that you liked riding when you were my age and I thought that if you liked it then I should at least try.  I talked myself into it because I kept saying that it would be fun.  But then when we got there and I saw the horses, I was scared all over again."

            "Awww, Sweetie," Lorelai said, pulling Rory into a hug.  "You didn't have to ride the horses if you didn't want to.  You don't need to ever worry about what makes Grandma happy or what makes me happy.  You need to do what you're comfortable with and if you were afraid of the horses than you didn't have to ride.  You understand?"

            Rory nodded and let her mom hold her.  She always felt the safest when her mom was holding her.  "Do you really think I should ride again?" she finally asked.

            "I really do," Lorelai said.  "Just once.  I will ride with you,' she offered. 

            "You?" Rory asked, looking up at her mom.  

            "Sure," Lorelai said.  "Remember that I did ride when I was your age," she reminded her daughter.  

            Rory thought for a moment or two longer.  "Okay, I'll go, but only if you ride with me."

            "You got it, kid."


	7. chapter seven

The next weekend Lorelai and Rory arrived at the stables to go riding.  Lorelai had called and set up the session.  Rory looked apprehensive as they approached the stables to sign in.  Lorelai rubbed Rory's back as they walked.  

            "Don't worry, Honey, I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

            "You promise?"

            Lorelai nodded and pulled Rory close to her as they walked.  They signed in and both put on helmets as they waited for the horse to be led to them.  Lorelai made sure Rory's helmet was tight enough and then secured her own.  Rory was thankful that the horse that was brought to them was not Mister.

            "This is Coffee," the handler said.

            "You're kidding," Lorelai said.

            "Nope.  We thought she was the color of a cup of coffee," the handler said.

            "Rory, this horse was made for us," Lorelai said.  Rory only smiled at her mom.

            Coffee was led to the step so that Rory could mount up.  Rory took a deep breath and tried to quell her fears.  Lorelai leaned down and spoke into Rory's ear.  "It's okay to be scared, but you and me are going to conquer this.  You can do it."  Rory nodded and Lorelai helped her up on the horse and then quickly climbed up behind her daughter.  She could feel how tense Rory was.

            "Relax, Rory," she instructed as she wrapped her arms around her daughter to hold the reins.  Lorelai was at ease on the house and it felt natural to be riding again.  She moved Coffee at a walk around the corral.    Lorelai rubbed Rory's arm, trying to get her to relax.  

            "Are you okay?"  Lorelai asked.  Rory nodded.  As they continued around the corral, Lorelai felt something hit her nose.  She looked up to see that it had started snowing.  

            "Rory, it's snowing!" she said with the excitement of a child.  The snow even brought a smile to Rory's apprehensive expression.  

            "I arranged this just for you, Mom," Rory said.  She knew how much her mother loved the snow.  

            "I love you so much, you know that?" Lorelai said, leaning in close to Rory.  

            Rory nodded and said, "I love you too, Mom."

            The girls rode in silence for the next couple of minutes.  Rory was growing more at ease with being on the horse.  She didn't ever want to do it again, but she felt safe with Lorelai there with her.  Lorelai glanced around the landscape and watched as the snow blanketed the ground.  This was truly her favorite time of year and she knew she and Rory were sharing something that they would probably never do again, and she was savoring each moment.  

            Rory," Lorelai finally broke the silence between them.  "We can stop if you want to.  I'm ready to go whenever you want to get off.  But I have to say, I'm so proud of you.  It took a lot of courage for you to get out here and do this."

            "I couldn't have done it without you," was Rory's reply.  "And we can ride for a little longer.  As long as you promise to get me some coffee when we get home.  We're going to need some for our midnight walk in the snow."

            Lorelai's smiled broadened and she said, "I promise," as she led Coffee on another trip around the corral.    

The End


End file.
